Face plumbing adapter for a heat exchanger assembly

ABSTRACT

A face plumbing adapter having a block portion and a camber portion is provided for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly. The block portion includes an external planar face, a first mating surface opposite that of the planar face, and an aperture having a B-axis extending through the planar face and first mating surface. The camber portion extends integrally from the block portion in a direction away from the planar face and curving inward toward the B-Axis. The camber portion is biased toward the block portion such that the face plumbing adapter would clinch onto the manifold. The block and camber portions include respective mating surfaces that are complementary to the exterior surface area of the manifold onto which the mating surfaces are affixed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/599,650 for a FACE PLUMBING ADAPTER FOR A HEATEXCHANGER, filed on Feb. 16, 2012, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger assembly; moreparticularly, to a face plumbing adapter for a heat exchanger assembly.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Air conditioning and heat pump systems for residential and commercialapplications are known to employ modified automotive heat exchangerassemblies because of their high heat transfer efficiency, durability,and relative ease of manufacturability. A typical automotive heatexchanger assembly includes an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold, and aplurality of multi-port refrigerant tubes hydraulically connecting theinlet and outlet manifolds. The core of the heat exchanger assembly isdefined by the plurality of refrigerant tubes and corrugated finsdisposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes for improved heat transferefficiency and increased structural rigidity.

Certain heat exchanger applications and packaging considerations mayrequire face plumbing of the heat exchanger assembly, in which the inletand/or outlet connections and associated pipes are within the heatexchanger face dimensions. In other words, at least one of the inletand/or outlet connections to the manifolds extends substantiallyperpendicular to the plane on which the core lies. This provides maximumuse of the packaging space for heat transfer surface area. A knownmethod to accomplish this to mill an opening equal to the desireddiameter of the pipe connection in an area of the manifold that facesthe same direction as the core. After the heat exchanger is assembledand brazed, an aluminum pipe is positioned over the opening such thatthe pipe extends perpendicular to the plane on which the core lies,fixtured, and welded in place. This process is labor intensive resultingin increases in time consumption and cost to manufacture such a heatexchanger assembly.

It is desirable to have a robust face plumbing adapter for a heatexchanger assembly that is simple and cost effective to manufacture, aswell as easily attaches onto a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly, inwhich the face plumbing adapter enables face plumbing of the heatexchanger assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A face plumbing adapter having a block portion and a camber portion isprovided for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly. The block portionincludes an external planar face, a first mating surface opposite thatof the planar face, and an aperture having a B-axis extending throughthe planar face and first mating surface. The camber portion extendsintegrally from the block portion in a direction away from the planarface and curving inward toward the B-Axis. The camber portion is biasedtoward the block portion such that the face plumbing adapter wouldclinch onto the manifold. The block and camber portions includerespective mating surfaces that are complementary to the exteriorsurface area of the manifold onto which the mating surfaces are affixed.

A heat exchanger assembly is also provided having a manifold defining amanifold aperture, a plurality of tubes extending from the manifold in aparallel arrangement perpendicular to the A-axis of the manifold, and aplurality of fins disposed between adjacent tubes, thereby defining aheat exchanger core. A face plumbing adapter is affixed onto themanifold, enabling the manifold to have a plumbing connectionperpendicular to the heat exchanger core. The face plumbing adapterincludes a first portion having a face defining a first portion apertureand a second portion extending integrally from the first portion in adirection away from the face. The second portion is biased toward thefirst portion such that the face plumbing adapter is clinched onto themanifold, in which the first portion aperture lies in a plane parallelto the core heat exchanger assembly and is in hydraulic communicationwith the manifold aperture.

The embodiment of the face plumbing adapter allows the use of knownstandard plumbing methods to provide for a plumbing connection to amanifold to extend in a direction that is substantially perpendicular tothe core. The face plumbing adapter replaces the more costly process ofmilling a hole onto the manifold and welding a connection to themanifold. Further features and advantages of the invention will appearmore clearly on a reading of the following detailed description of anembodiment of the invention, which is given by way of non-limitingexample only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an exemplary embodiment of aface plumbing adapter engaged to a manifold of a heat exchangerassembly.

FIG. 2 shows a partial perspective rear view of the face plumbingadapter engaged to the manifold of the heat exchanger assembly of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the face pluming adapter of FIG. 1 showing aninterior surface having a bore with an end wall defining an aperture.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the face pluming adapter of FIG. 1 showing theinterior mating surfaces of the face plumbing adapter.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of the manifold of the heatexchanger assembly of FIG. 2 taken along line 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the face plumbing adapter of FIG. 4taken along line 6-6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, wherein like numerals indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, is an exemplaryembodiment of a heat exchanger assembly 20 having a face plumbingadapter 100. The face plumbing adapter 100 enables an inlet and/oroutlet plumbing connection 30 to a manifold 22, 24 to extend in adirection substantially perpendicular to the core 34 of the exchangerassembly 20. The face plumbing adapter 100 may be snapped or clinchedonto the exterior surface of the manifold 22, 24 and affixed in place bybrazing.

Shown in FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of an exemplary embodimentof the face plumbing adapter 100 engaged to a manifold 22 of the heatexchanger assembly 20. The heat exchanger assembly 20 includes a firstmanifold 22 extending along a manifold A-axis and a second manifold 24extending in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship with thefirst manifold 22. The first and second manifolds 22, 24 present aplurality of corresponding tube slots 26 spaced along the respectivemanifolds 22, 24. A plurality of fluid tubes 28 is inserted into thecorresponding tube slots 26 of the manifolds 22 in a parallelarrangement for hydraulic fluid communication between the manifolds 22,24. A plurality of corrugated fins 32 is inserted between adjacent fluidtubes 28 for increased heat transfer efficiency between the fluid in thetubes 28 and a stream of ambient air. The plurality of tubes 28 andcorrugated fins 32 between adjacent tubes 28 define the heat exchangercore 34, which lies on a plane P.

Affixed to the first manifold 22 is the face plumbing adapter 100, whichenables the plumbing connection 30 to the first manifold 22 to extendsubstantially perpendicular to the core 34. Substantially perpendicularto the core 34 means that the plumbing connection 30 extends in adirection about 80 to 100 degrees, preferably 90 degrees, relative tothe plane P in order to meet the packaging requirements of certainapplications.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, in which FIG. 2 shows a partial perspectiverear view of the face plumbing adapter 100 engaged to the manifold 22and FIG. 5 shows a partial cross sectional view of the face plumbingadapter 100 of FIG. 2. The face plumbing adapter 100 includes a firstportion 102 and a second portion 104 biased toward the first portion 102such that the face plumbing adapter 100 snaps and clinches onto theexterior surface of the manifold 22. The first portion 102 may blockshape, block portion 102, and the second portion 104 may have a cambershape, camber portion 104. The block portion 102 includes an externalplanar face 108 and defines a block aperture 128 having a centralB-Axis. The camber portion 104 extends integrally from the block portion102 in a direction away from the planar face 108 and curves inwardtoward the central B-axis. The block portion 102 also includes an edge110 opposite from the camber portion 104, in which the edge 110 definesa nose 112 having an undercut 114.

Best shown in FIG. 4, is a side view of the face plumbing adapter 100 ofFIG. 1 showing the interior surfaces 116 of the face plumbing adapter100. The block portion 102 includes a first mating surface 118 and thecamber portion 104 includes a second mating surface 120. The first andsecond mating surfaces 118, 120 are complementary to exterior surfacearea of the manifold 22 onto which the first and second mating surfaces118, 120 are affixed. Once the face plumbing adapter 100 is assembledonto the manifold 22, the nose 112 section of the block portion 102cooperates with the biased camber portion 104 to clinch the faceplumbing adapter 100 onto the exterior mating surface area of themanifold 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Best shown in FIG. 3, the block portion 102 defines a bore 122 having abore end 124 surrounded by a bore side wall 126, in which the bore 122is in hydraulic communication with the block aperture 128. The bore 122extends in a direction parallel to the B-axis and may be concentricallylocated with the block aperture 128. The bore 122 may have a diameterlarger than the diameter of the block aperture 128 such that a ledge 130is defined between the block aperture 128 and the bore side wall 126. Aportion of the manifold 22 onto which the face plumbing adapter 100 isaffixed defines a manifold aperture 132 that is smaller than the bore122 diameter. The larger bore diameter allows multiple sizes of blockaperture 128 to be milled through the planar face 108 to accommodatevarious size piping connections. The bore 122 provides hydrauliccommunication between the block aperture 128 and manifold aperture 132.

Referring to FIG. 6, in the manufacturing of the face plumbing adapter100, the drilling of the bore 122 from the back side of the faceplumbing adapter 100 defines the two prongs 106 having a V typeconfiguration on a distal end of the camber portion 104. This V typeconfiguration together with the undercut 114 defined by the nose 112reduces the total surface mating area between the face plumbing adapter100 and manifold 22, and increases the linear distance available for abraze fillet to form. The increase length of the braze fillet provides amore robust braze joint as opposed to a greater surface mating area.

The face plumbing adapter 100 may be continuously extruded from aluminumand then cut into multiple units, each having a desired dimension toaccommodate different size clinching of production couplers. A commonmanifold aperture 132 size can be milled into the manifold 22 for mostapplications while only milling the block aperture 128 to the desireddesign criteria, thereby reducing set up time and manufacturing cost.

The embodiment of face plumbing adapter 100 of the invention allows theuse of known standard plumbing methods to provide for a plumbingconnection 30 to a manifold 22 of the heat exchanger assembly 20, inwhich the plumbing connection 30 extends in a direction that issubstantially perpendicular to the plane P on which the core 34 lies.The interface of the bore 122 between the block aperture 128 andmanifold aperture 132 allows a wider tolerance between the size themanifold 22 aperture and block aperture 128. This is advantageous, sincethe manifold aperture 132 may be standardized and the block aperture 128can be milled to provide the desired flow rate for differentapplications, or vice versa. Another advantage is that the face plumbingadapter 100 replaces the more costly process of milling a hole onto themanifold 22 and welding a connection to the manifold 22.

While this invention has been described in terms of the preferredembodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but ratheronly to the extent set forth in the claims that follow.

Having described the invention, it is claimed:
 1. A face plumbingadapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly, comprising: a blockportion having an external planar face and an opposite first matingsurface, wherein said block portion defines a block aperture extendingalong a center B-Axis through said planar face and said first matingsurface; a camber portion extending integrally from said block portionin a direction away from said planar face and curving inward toward saidB-Axis, wherein said camber portion includes a second mating surfaceextending from said first mating surface, and wherein said first matingsurface and said second mating surface are complementary to the exteriorsurface area of the manifold onto which the said mating surfaces areaffixed.
 2. The face plumbing adapter for a manifold of a heat exchangerassembly of claim 1, wherein said block portion includes an edgedefining a nose opposite from said camber portion.
 3. The face plumbingadapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly of claim 2, whereinsaid camber portion includes a distal end defining two prongs.
 4. Theface plumbing adapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly ofclaim 3, wherein said nose and said at least two prongs are configuredto cooperate in engaging the manifold such that the face plumbingadapter is clinched onto the manifold.
 5. The face plumbing adapter fora manifold of a heat exchanger assembly of claim 4, wherein said nosedefines an undercut and said at least two prongs defines a V-shape,thereby increasing the linear distance available for forming a brazefillet.
 6. The face plumbing adapter for a manifold of a heat exchangerassembly of claim 5, wherein: said first mating surface defines a borehaving a larger diameter than the diameter of said block aperture, andsaid bore includes an end wall circumscribing said block aperture,thereby defining a ledge.
 7. The face plumbing adapter for a manifold ofa heat exchanger assembly of claim 6, wherein: said block apertureextending along the center B-axis is 80 to 100 degrees relative to saidplanar face; said bore extends parallel to the center B-axis of saidblock aperture; and said prong includes a distal end immediatelyadjacent to the center axis of said block bore.
 8. The face plumbingadapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly of claim 7, whereinsaid camber portion is biased toward said block portion such that theface plumbing adapter clinches onto the manifold.
 9. The face plumbingadapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly of claim 8, whereinsaid block aperture extending along the center B-axis is perpendicularto said planar face.
 10. A face plumbing adapter for a manifold of aheat exchanger assembly, comprising: a first portion having an planarface and an opposite first mating surface, wherein said first portiondefines an aperture extending through said planar face and said firstmating surface along a central B-axis; and a second portion having asecond mating surface extending integrally from said first portion in adirection away from said planar face and curving toward the centralB-axis such the face plumbing adapter may be clinched onto the manifold;wherein said first mating surface and said second mating surface arecomplementary to the exterior surface area of the manifold onto whichthe said mating surfaces are affixed.
 11. A face plumbing adapter for amanifold of a heat exchanger assembly of claim 10, wherein: said firstportion defines a bore in said first mating surface, and said boreincludes diameter a larger than the diameter of said aperture.
 12. Aface plumbing adapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly ofclaim 11, wherein said second portion is biased toward said firstportion such that said face plumbing adapter clinches onto the heatexchanger assembly.
 13. A face plumbing adapter for a manifold of a heatexchanger assembly of claim 12, wherein said bore and V-shapedconfiguration of prong is formed concurrently.
 14. A face plumbingadapter for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly of claim 13, whereinsaid bore includes an end wall circumscribing said block aperture,thereby defining a ledge.
 15. A heat exchanger assembly comprising: amanifold extending along an A-axis, said manifold includes a sidedefining a manifold aperture; a plurality of tubes extending from saidmanifold in a parallel arrangement perpendicular to the A-axis; aplurality of fins disposed between adjacent tubes, thereby defining aheat exchanger core lying on a plane P; and a face plumbing adapterincluding a first portion having a face defining a first portionaperture about a B-axis and a second portion extending integrally fromsaid first portion in a direction away from said face, wherein saidsecond portion is biased toward said first portion such that said faceplumbing adapter is clinched onto said manifold in which said firstportion aperture lies in a plane parallel to the plane P and is inhydraulic communication with said manifold aperture.
 16. The heatexchanger assembly of claim 15, wherein: said first portion is a blockportion having said face parallel to plane P; and said second portion isa camber portion extending integrally from said block portion in adirection away from said face and inward toward B-Axis.
 17. The heatexchanger assembly of claim 16, wherein: said first portion includes asurface opposite from said face, said surface defines a bore having adiameter larger than the diameter of said first portion aperture,wherein aid bore is in hydraulic communication with said manifoldaperture and said first portion aperture.
 18. The heat exchangerassembly of claim 17, wherein said camber portion includes a distal endincludes two prongs defining a V-shape.
 19. The heat exchanger assemblyof claim 17, wherein said block portion includes a nose includes an edgedefining a nose opposite from said camber portion.